Aug 12, 2014

Remembering New York Giants History (1949): Sid Gordon Hits Pair of HRs in 10-0 Romp

July 31, 1949: The NY Giants went into Crosley Field at Cincinnati and swept a double header from the Reds, shutting them out in both games. The Giants bombarded the Reds 10-0 in the 1st game. New York's Sid Gordon hit two HRs in the second inning leading the charge. Gordon became only 7th National Leaguer to homer twice in an inning, since then it has been done over twenty more times. Gordon went on to hit 26 HRs in 1949, after coming off a 30 HR season in 1948. He would be traded at the end of ’49 to the Milwaukee Braves & had three 25 plus HR seasons there. The Brooklyn native & popular Gordon finished his career back in New York in 1955. The true New Yorker he was, Sid sadly passed away playing softball at central Park in 1975, suffering a heart attack.

The Giants Larry Jansen pitched the complete game shutout and went on to a 15-16 season, he would win 19 the following season & 23 in the Giants ’51 pennant season. In the second game of the Sunday double header that day, the Giants knocked out another nine runs, as Adrian Zabala threw the shutout. The Cuban Zabala only pitched 26 games in two years with the Giants, going 4-7 lifetime. The Giants finished fifth (81-73) in 1949.